Automatic gas-igniter and safety device.



E'. B. GERALD.

AUTOMATIC GAS IGNITER AND SAFETY DEVICE.

A PELIOATION FILED JAN. 22, 1910.

Patentd Oct. 18,1910.

anueufoz EUGENE E. GERALD, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

AUTOMATIC GAS-IGNITER AND SAFETY DEVICE.

eas oso.

specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented (Oct. 18, 1910.

Application filed January 22, 1910. Serial no. assess.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE E. GERALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful 1m rovements in Automatic Gas-Igniters and bafety Devices, of which the following is a specification. Y

My invention relates to devices for i niting gas lights. It is extremely desirab e in this class of devices that they be absolutely reliable in operation both when first li hting up, and that they automatically reli ht when accidentally extinguished by the Wind or otherwise. It is also necessary for the practical success of a device of this class that it be of such simple construction as to be cheap to manufacture, not liable to easily get. out of order, nor subject to excessive wear or deterioration in ordinary use.

The object of my invention is to provide an automatic lighter, and relight-er possessing all of these desirable characteristics and with this object in view the invention consists in the im roved construction, arrangement and com ination of the parts hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In order that the construction and opera tion of the invention may be readily understood, I have illustrated an embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 represents a View in side elevation of one of my improved igniters attached to a burner. Fig. 2 represents a top plan view thereof, and Fig. 3 represents a View in front elevation.

Lilre reference characters mark the same parts in all of the figures of the drawing.

Referring specifically to the drawing, 4; indicates an ordinary gas sup ly pipe, 5 the cock or cut oil valve, and an ordinary burner, the latter being mounted upon an elbow 7 at the end of the pipe.

Mounted on opposite sides of the elbow 7, but separated therefrom byinsulators 8, 80, are two metallic uprights 9, 90, connected together at the top above the upper or discharge end of the burner 6, by means of a wire 10 of a material, such as platinum, which will offer resistance to the passage of a current of electricity and thus be heated to incandescence by such passage.

Dependin from the upper end of the upright- 9, pivotally connected thereto, at

11, is a metallic rod 12, the lower end of which is pivotally connected, at 13, to one arm of a metallic bar 1 1, pivoted, at 15, to the elbow 7, but suitably insulated therefrom, the other arm of said bar 14 normally resting upon, and in electric contact with, one end of a metallic button 18 secured upon the upper end ofthe stem of the valve 5, when the valve is open as shown in the drawing, by any ordinary means, such as a. screw 17. The button 16 is separated from the metal of the casing 18 of the valve 5, by insulating material 19 and when the valve open as shown, the opposite end ol said button rests upon a metallic strip 20 secured upon, but suitably insulated from, the casing 181 Suitable contacts 21 are provided upon the bar 1 1, button 16 and strip 20 and the uprights 9 are bent at their upper ends, as shown at 22, so that the rod 12 will not be in contact with that one of said uprights to which it is pivoted.

At 23 is indicated a battery, or other suitable source of electricity from which one wire, as at 24, extends to and is connected with the strip 20 by screw 25 and the other wire, as at 26, extends to and is connected with the upright- 90 by a screw 27.

In Fig. 2 I have shown the button 16, in

dotted lines, in the position it assumes when the valve is turned to cut oil the flow of gas from the burner. In this position the button is out of contact with the strip 20 and bar 14 and the electric circuit is broken.

It being desired to light the gas, the valve is turned, in the usual manner, to the position shown in the drawing, in which one end is in contact with the bar 14 and the other with the strip 20. This completes the electric circuit'from the battery 23 through wire 24, strip 20, button 16, bar 14, rod 12, upright 9, platinum wire 10, upright 90, and wire 26 ack to the battery and the platinum Wire 10 becoming heated b the current passing through it, the gas wil be ignited. After the gas has burned a short time, the rod 12will become heated and will expand longitudinally and press downwardl upon the short arm of the bar 1-1, thus raising the long arm of said bar oil from and out of contact with the button 16, and breaking the electric circuit, said bar remaining raised, and the circuit broken, as long as the gas burns and the rod 12 remains heated. Should the gas he accidentally extinguished by any cause, such as the wind for instance,

16 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and breaking the electric circuit which will remain broken until the valve is again turned to again light up.

The advantages of my invention will be obvious and while I have specifically described the various parts of the illustrated embodiment of the invention, I do not limit myself to these exact constructions, many slight changes and variations being possible within the limit and scope of the invention. Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a burner, a gas supply pipe, a valve, 2. button carried by the stem 7 of the valve, and an electric circuit adapted to be closed, by the opening of the valve, comprising uprights on opposite sides of the the valve, and an electric circuit adapted to be closed by the opening of the valve, comprising uprights on opposite sides of the burner, aresistance connecting the uprights above the burner in the path of the escaping gas, a pivoted bar normally in contact with the button when the valve is open, a rod in position to be heated by the flame and pivotally connected at its ends with one of the uprights and the bar, a metal strip secured to the valve casing and normally in contact with the button when the valve is open, and wires connecting the metal strip and one of the uprights with a source of electricity.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence or two witnesses.

EUGENE E.- GERALD.

Witnesses:

E. WALTON BREWINGTON, MARY M. MAGRAW. 

